Audio Guides

In recent years TII Archaeology and Heritage has sought to expand on the various methods it uses to communicate the results of archaeological investigations on road and light rail schemes to the general public. A series of specially commissioned audio guides produced by Abarta Heritage represents the newest form of dissemination adopted by TII. These guides can be accessed via Abarta Heritage's website or Soundcloud page, and can be downloaded for free.

Hidden Voices: the archaeology of the M8 Fermoy–Mitchelstown motorway

Welcome to the Hidden Voicesaudio book. The M8 Fermoy to Mitchelstown motorway winds its way through the storied lands of North Cork, crossing an undulating landscape between the River Blackwater and the Galtee Mountains. The road was constructed to bypass the towns of Fermoy and Mitchelstown as part of the upgraded Cork to Dublin national road network. In advance of the construction of the road, archaeologists from Eachtra Archaeological Projects unearthed a succession of exciting discoveries along its route, as they excavated 22 archaeological sites. The remarkable insights their findings provide into life in North Cork across the millennia is the subject of this Abarta audio book, that was produced on behalf of TII.

The M8 is just the latest in a series of routeways to negotiate the shadow of Caherdrinny Hill, one of the great physical and historical landmarks of North Cork. Just as the hill today watches over the motorway, in ages past it kept vigilant eye on the comings and goings of all who crossed the plains and river valleys straddling either side of the Kilworth Mountains. It bore witness to each of those who feature in our story, all the way back to the hunter-gathers who established a seasonal camp at its base, 10,000 years ago. Theirs are the first ‘hidden voices’ whose echoes reverberate through this audio book, but they are far from the last. It takes us from the thud of axes and crash of trees that sounded through the landscape of Ireland’s first farmers, to the anguish, pain and despair that accompanied the deaths of those taken far too young during the Bronze Age. We encounter those who constructed North Cork’s most monumental boundaries some 2,000 years ago, and meet master craftsmen who may have counted Saints among their customers. We will step inside the modest homes of those whose lives were shaped by a new power, the Anglo-Normans, and take our leave with a visit to the equally modest dwellings of the region’s 19th-century inhabitants. Each track of our guide examines an aspect of life in a specific period of history. But it begins with the story of the hunter-gathers and farmers, who were the first to make North Cork their home.

This audio book was written by Damian Shiels and edited by Neil Jackman, with assistance from the TII Archaeologist, Ken Hanley. It is narrated by Gerry O’Brien and was recorded at Bluebird Studios in Kildare with sound engineer Declan Lonergan and producers Róisín Burke and Geni Murphy.

Mullamast: the story of a medieval village

This audio guide tells the story of the remarkable archaeological discoveries made during works in advance of the M9 Motorway in County Kildare, where archaeologists found the remains of a long forgotten medieval village that lay in the shadow of one of Ireland’s ancient royal sites. The excavation at Mullamast revealed important new insights into trade, religion, society and everyday life in medieval Ireland. This audiobook draws on the archaeological information and contemporary history to tell the story of life and death in medieval Ireland.

This audio guide was produced by Abarta Heritage on behalf of TII. It was written by Damian Shiels and narrated by Gerry O’Brien. It was edited and produced by Neil Jackman, Róisín Burke and Geni Murphy of Abarta Heritage, and recorded in Bluebird Studios Kildare with sound engineer Declan Lonergan.

Buttevant Heritage Trail: stories from above and below

Welcome to Buttevant. If you scratch below the surface of this vibrant Cork town, and take the time to investigate some of its hidden corners, you will discover that it has deep medieval roots, and is alive with tales of the entrepreneurial spirit that typifies the town and its residents. The Buttevant Heritage Trail audio guide has been written by the local community and produced by Abarta Heritage on behalf of TII. It will introduce you to the fascinating stories of the town. The guide includes information about the latest important discoveries that were made during TII-funded archaeological investigations in the town in 2015–2016. You will hear stories of how Buttevant’s big dig shed new light on the town’s medieval origins, and how the town developed under figures like John Anderson. You’ll also discover the story of the world’s first steeple chase and hear the gravelly voice of a stone gargoyle who has witnessed the town’s story.

This audio guide was produced by Abarta Heritage on behalf of TII, and with the support and participation of the people of Buttevant. We would like to offer a special thanks to all the storytellers of the town who kindly contributed their knowledge and insights, particularly: Ann Coughlan, Noel Coleman, Jack O’Donnell, Marion O’Sullivan, Denis O'Sullivan, Gabriel O’Callaghan, Emily Dumunfort, Dolores Cronin, Catherine Roche, Janette Guiney, Tom Blake and Frank Trimm. The archaeological information that helps to shine new light onto the story of Buttevant is thanks to Priority Construction Ltd, Rubicon Heritage Services, Arup Consulting Engineers, Kieran McKeone of Cork County Council and Ken Hanley of TII.

Meitheal: stories from early medieval Ireland

This audio book provides glimpses of life in a large settlement in Ireland, sometime around the sixth or seventh century AD.

On a long, low ridge in the small townland of Raystown near Ashbourne in County Meath, archaeologists discovered the remains of a large and complex site that was once part of the ancient kingdom of Brega. The excavations, in advance of the construction of the M2 Finglas to Ashbourne Motorway, revealed a place where people worked the fields, milled grains, feasted, lived and buried their dead well over a thousand years ago. This large farming settlement was to endure for at least 600 years, and this discovery produced a wealth of new insights into life in early medieval Ireland.

This audio book weaves a number of fictional tales, informed by the dig and the artefacts discovered, to help introduce some of the people who lived at Raystown. You’ll meet the lord or flaith of the settlement, his bóaire who managed the farms and mills, a slave, and a wanderer. You’ll join in a feast for a King, and hear the aftermath of a raid on a rival settlement.

The audio book was produced by Abarta Heritage for Transport Infrastructure Ireland. The script was written by Neil Jackman of Abarta Heritage with the specialist insights of Matthew Seaver and Terry O’Hagan. The audio book was recorded and produced by Róisín Burke and Declan Lonergan, and narrated by Sarah Jane Scott, Sam Lucas Smith and Danny Kehoe.

Luas: Dublin's timeline

Welcome to the Luas: Dublin’s Timeline audio book. The Luas is Dublin’s light-rail transit service. The development of the Luas network saw some of the biggest infrastructural developments of modern Dublin. In a city as old as Dublin, wherever you dig you are likely to find echoes of the past.

During the construction of the Luas lines, experienced teams of archaeologists kept a careful watch as they monitored the works, and identified and excavated any archaeological remains that were encountered. Their meticulous records reveal a wealth of new information about Dublin’s history, and this audio book helps to tell the story of what was discovered, along with the history and stories from each of the stops. Hear about Dublin’s early origins, its Viking past and life in medieval Dublin. You’ll also hear tales of tragedy and poverty from Dublin’s tenements, and violence as the 1916 Easter Rising nearly tore the city apart. You can also encounter some of Dublin’s characters and folk-tales such as Copper Face Jack or the notorious thief Scaldbrother. This audio book is also packed with information about Dublin’s engineering and architecture, arts, culture and politics. You’ll find information about some of the most famous parts of the city, like St Stephen’s Green, the Four Courts, Smithfield and more!

The audio book is delivered in a series of tracks, with each track representing the story of one of the Luas stops along the central portion of the Luas Red and Green Lines, from Heuston Station to Charlemont. This audio book was produced by Abarta Heritage on behalf of Transport Infrastructure Ireland. It was narrated by Sharon Mannion and Gerry O’Brien and written by Neil Jackman, with the kind support of Emer Dennehy and Rónán Swan of Transport Infrastructure Ireland. We are indebted to the teams of archaeologists who worked so diligently to uncover the story of Dublin during the construction of the Luas.

Ballyhanna: stories from the grave

Download the free Ballyhanna: stories from the grave audio book and immerse yourself in tales of medieval Ireland. This groundbreaking audio book tells the story of the archaeological excavation of Ballyhanna. In 2003 archaeologists discovered the remains of a long-forgotten medieval graveyard at Ballyhanna on the outskirts of Ballyshannon in County Donegal. The graveyard contained the skeletal remains of more than a thousand men, women and children. These remains were scientifically studied by the Ballyhanna Research Project, One of the primary aims of the project is to show how scientific research may aid our interpretations of archaeology and reveal new insights into past societies. The project research tells us about this community through death and burial traditions, and by examining these aspects, it also tells us about the people that lived in this medieval community, who, over the course of a millennium, were laid to rest in a small graveyard by the banks of the River Erne.

This audio book details the excavations and scientific projects. It also tells stories from the graves, in a series of first-person fictionalised accounts based on the information gleaned during the excavation and analysis.

Woodstown: Viking settlement in Waterford

The Woodstown: Viking settlement in Waterford audio book engagingly tells the story of one of Ireland’s most important archaeological discoveries. Archaeologists investigating the proposed route of the Waterford City Bypass in 2003 uncovered the remains of a ninth-century Viking settlement on the banks of the River Suir at Woodstown in County Waterford. The site has been hailed by scholars as one of the most significant archaeological discoveries ever made in Ireland.

This immersive audio book is an accessible companion to Woodstown: a Viking-Age settlement in Co. Waterford edited by Ian Russell and Maurice F Hurley, and published by Four Courts Press. It contains in-depth analysis of the site and its artefacts by a variety of international experts who look at what the remains can reveal about the Vikings in Ireland.

The M6: a route through time

Combining the latest archaeological information with historical sources The M6: a route through time audio book is an accessible but authoritative insight into the wonderful history of the region through which the M6 motorway between Kinnegad and Galway travels. This audio book tells the story of this incredible landscape through the newly discovered archaeological sites and also shows the listener the wonderful heritage sites that are still accessible along the route, like the magnificent monastic site of Clonmacnoise, Co. Offaly, and the medieval walled town of Athenry and the site of Ireland’s bloodiest battle at Aughrim, both in County Galway.

This audio book is extensively researched and presents the complex story of this landscape in a unique and accessible way, drawing not only on the archaeological reports from the scheme, but also the results of archaeological excavations by the National Museum of Ireland, and a wide variety of other academic research, publications and cartographic information.

The audio book was produced by Abarta Heritage for Transport Infrastructure Ireland, with thanks to the National Museum of Ireland, the National Monuments Service and especially to the many archaeologists, specialists and archaeological consultancies involved on the road scheme: CRDS Ltd, Eachtra Archaeological Projects, Headland Archaeology (Ireland) Ltd, IAC Ltd, The Archaeology Company, and Valerie J Keeley Ltd.